A Physician’s Perspective: Dr. William Grande

“We can remove filters that others have failed to retrieve. That is why we stand apart.”

– Dr. William Grande

We spoke with Dr. Grande about RIA Endovascular’s unique ability to retrieve stents and filters that other practices have placed, and perhaps failed to remove.

Why would someone want/need this service performed?

This procedure is for patients who have had a filter placed. IVC filters are typically placed because for whatever reason the patient can’t be on blood thinners. This could be because of surgery or if they have had bleeding complications while on blood thinners. Physicians have been good about identifying who needs a filter, but sometimes patients are not followed up on the the filter left in longer than necessary. Over time the filters can break, they can migrate or move somewhere they are not supposed to, or they can cause blockages in the veins.

Describe the procedure for us.

The patient lies on the table. Typically we go through large vein in the neck. We use a snare or “lasso” type device to grab the hook at the top of the IVC filter. We then collapse the filter with a plastic tube called a sheath and remove it from the body. Sometimes, if the filter has moved or been left in too long we have the ability to use other non-surgical techniques to remove the filter.

What value do you or your patients find in performing this procedure?

We often are referred patients that have seen other providers that are unable to remove the filter. A patient recently came to us from out of town. She had developed an occlusion from her filter that had been in place a couple of years. She saw her vascular surgeon who would not attempt to remove her filter. She had chronic leg pain and swelling from her clot. She was also very anxious because her particular type of filter had just recently been recalled. After I was able to remove the filter, she saw a decrease in leg swelling and pain within a week. She was extremely grateful that the filter was out of her body and she did not have to live with the recalled device in her body.